Mercury switch actuating mechanism for stand lamps



y 9, 1953 E. s. BOYNTON 2,639,369

MERCURSZ': SWITCH ACTUATING MECHANISM FOR STAND LAMPS Filed Nov. 30, 1948 I Inventor.

E rl S. Boynio fiw orney.

Patented May 19, 1953 fish si uteri, test that, $111.1.

v Afi licat This inventionrelatesto -electric light fixtures, and'p'articularly' to "table lamps and the like and improved means for actuating the switch means of such. lamps. c v

Itis one of the objects of the invention to protide an, improved-electric, light'fixtiire having an improved switch means incorporated therewith which is ,actuatedto light 011 extinguishthe lamp.

tion to; provide" aniimprbved i'electric lightjfix-i, ture whichis streamlined and neatin: appears.

a'nee. having switch means incorporated there: with which may be easily andaconveniently,actu

ated .to lightijor extinguislrth lamp; thereof;

Various otheriobjects aniadvantages ofnthis;

invention will be moregapparent inflthea'coursemf the following specification, and will be particularly pointed out" in'f the" appended claims.

he cc mpen in q w ess here is hqw for thepurpfose of "illusf't'r on; v a preferred embodiment and a modification threof=which my invention may assume in practice.

.Inithes'e drawings: .l a V Fig -1 is an elevational, view'ifpar'tly in section, ofmyjimprov'ed lightfixtur'e: f s

*2 as sectional view-taken" on li""e" 2 2 ofFig. 1; V v I 'Fig. sis-a sectional View takeno'n linef'3- 3 of Fig; '1; a a

Fig. 4 is a topyiewof my light fixture with the lampshade removed; an

Fig." 51 is an elevational .ri n, et bn'i 6f not er embodiment of "the-present invention. Referring more particularly to the drawings, the preferred embodiment of my improved light fixture, as shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4, comprises a base 2, preferably of a hollow construction, having a top 3 and a reduced cylindrical-shaped portion 4 extending upwardly therefrom in which there is arranged a threaded lamp socket 5 for the reception of a suitable electric bulb or lamp 6. There is carried by and attached to the under side of the top 3 of the base 2, a pair. of spaced November? 30, is;sea s-tats 4 (01'. Mo -12s apart imktenk Luster testes-imam :i-li

' which extend-down into thevhollow portion of the base; On the bottom of the base,'-,there iskprovided a bottom closure plate 8 Von whichstherevis mounted. a: usshaped lower bearing braclget por tion .9 positioned dirctlybelowthe bearing pore trons ?|'I... Between the bearingportions ill-:91 andz8, there is amounted rotatable switch means consisting of a stud.- shaft. Ll [I having a collar- 112 and anyupwardly extending lever-likephrtionrl3 integrally arranged therewith: The; leverslike portion 13 is fin the form ofi ag; segmental gear having-teethl 4: arranged-0m the upper end there: of,,.which lever-like portionis disposed between. the pairs of bracketv portions 1'il; as clearly s'hownin Figs. 1 and 2. .v v, i,

On the inner. endt-of'the' stud; shaft. lil, there isarranged horizontally, a smallz-mercury -type switch I5 where by oscillation ofrthe shaft 1.0- causes .thetmercury fl inzthe tube to flowfrom one. e'n'dzto. the oth'er inrthe tube to successively make and breakthe electric circuit-inzwhich the lamp. e is connectedtc arsourc'e -of power, ;.as shown. It will be. understood that,- anyfothen suitabl'e type, of switch may be employecl ifi de sired, but itxhas, been foundthat a mercury type switch.isimostsatisfactorytu 7;.

On the top; 3 of; the, base 2; thereisnmova'bly mounted arr. annular member .l 6 which encircles the upwardly; extending cylindrical:- portion 3410f;

the -base-tand is'rotatable; relativetheretor. There is arranged on: the bottomof the annular v member I6; anann'ular gear-v-likepporti'on' 11 having teeth lfilwhich fit preferably in annannular groove or raceJ-Q arrangedinthe: upper surfacezof the base? tepid. around-the cylindrical portion 4' concentr-i'c'therewithz M v 1 The. uppei-,- end of the leverlike "portion: .l 3 together with theteeth thereof,- extend up through" aperture 2d in thatop, 3 of ,theba'se which communicates with: thegannulan. groove: or race is; withttlre/ teeth .M' meshing with, and co operating with the; teeth it carried;- by, the I ra tatableannular member lsj ltoalight and extin' gush the' l'amp" in.:.-a' manher hereinafter to'be' described.

There is mounted on the annular member It, a lamp shade 2| consisting preferably of a tubular chimney-like portion 22 which is preferably secured to the member l6 having an upper-reduced portion 23 on which there is arranged a suitable shade portion 24. It will be understood that the shade may be of any suitable design, and that the form illustrated possesses desirable artistic characteristics and structural advantages.

Both the lamp portions 22 and 24 are made preferably of a transparent or translucent material, such as glass, molded plastic, or the like, whereas the base and other parts may be made of metal or also preferably of a molded plastic material, such as polystyrene, which will provide a pleasing contrast and artistic effect.

The improved lamp of my invention operates in the following manner. As has been hereinbefore described, the annular member [6, together with the shade 2| carried thereby, is removably and rotatably mounted on the top 3 of the base 2 with the annular gear-like portion I1 positioned in the annular groove or race I9 in the base top. In such position, the teeth l8 of the annular member mesh with the teeth 14 of the lever-like member 13. By such arangement, it will be seen that when the annular member I6 is rotated manually on the base 2 in one direction that the lever-like member I3 is moved in the direction the annular member is rotated thereby rotating the stud shaft H) to which it is securely attached. When the shaft is rotated, it will-be seen that the mercury 32 in the tube of the mercury switch 15 will fiow in the tube from one end to the other end thereof thereby causing the mercury to contact the two electrical contacts 33-33 disposed in that end of the tube so as to complete the electrical circuit through the lamp 6 to light the same. Thus, it will be seen that when the annular member [6 is rotated on the base in the opposite direction, the lever-like member I 3 is moved in the opposite direction and, likewise, the stud shaft 10 is moved in the same direction thereby causing the mercury 32 in the mercury switch 15 to move to the opposite end of the tube and out of contact with the electrical contacts 33-33 thereof thereby breaking the circuit so as to extinguish the lamp 6.

In Fig. 5 of the drawings, there is shown a modification of the light fixture in accordance with my invention. The construction of this embodiment is substantially the same as that of the preferred form, except that the lamp shade 30 is mounted in a conventional manner by a spring snapping arrangement on the lamp or bulb 3| of the fixture instead of on the annular rotatable switch actuating means thereof, as in the preferred form. In this construction, there is provided an annular member similar to the annular member l6 mounted on the top of a base 26 around a reduced portion 21 of the base. The upper end of the reduced portion 21 is preferably threaded, as at 28, and a threaded collar 29 is disposed thereon to hold the annular member 25 in position on the base. There is arranged with the annular member 25, a gear-like portion as in the preferred construction which cooperates with a lever-like portion arranged with a mercury switch in the same manner as the preferred construction for actuating the switch. The switch construction and operation of this modified form is identical with the preferred form so any further description of this construction and. operation of the same is believed unnecessary.

As a result of my invention, it will be seen that there is provided an improved lamp fixture which is not only neat appearing, but extremely simple and inexpensive in its operation and construction. It will be seen also that all the parts of my light fixture, with the exception of the switch means, may be easily and conveniently molded or fabricated from a suitable plastic material. Also, the mercury switch means of my light fixture is simple and inexpensive, and one consisting of a minimum number of parts which will operate indefinitely without failure or maintenance.

While I have shown and described several embodiments which my invention may assume in practice, it will be understood that these embodiments are merely for the purpose of illustration and description, and that other forms may be devised within the scope of my invention as defined in the appended claims.

What I claim as my invention is:

'1. An electric light fixture of the class described, comprising a hollow base, an electric lamp mounted on said base, an electric switch arranged in said base for said lamp and in an electric circuit therewith, a lever-like member oscillatively mounted in said base for actuating said switch, an annular groove arranged in the upper surface of said base, said groove having an opening therein through which said lever-like member extends into said groove, an annular member rotatably arranged in said groove which cooperates with the upper end of said lever-like member to actuate the same whereby said switch is adapted to close when said annular member is rotated in one direction and to open said switch when rotated in the opposite direction.

2. An electric light fixture of the class described, as defined in claim 1, wherein the annular member is arranged integral with a lamp shade rotatably mounted on said base.

3. An electric light fixture of the class described, as defined in claim 1, wherein both the annular member and the lever-like member are gear-like members with the teeth of one cooperating with the teeth of the other.

4. An electric light fixture of the class described, as defined in claim 1, wherein the electric switch is mercury actuated.

EARL S. BOYNTON.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,352,707 Hoffman Apr. 5, 1932 1,994,419 Texier Mar. 12, 1935 2,014,054 Rood et a1 Sept. '10, 1935 2,032,326 Leland Feb. 25, 1936 2,165,563 Mariani July 11, 1939 2,246,961 Voogt June 24, 1941 2,408,669 Mattson Oct. 1, 1946 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 636,564 Germany Oct. 12, 1936 

